Mudavadi’s big headache in becoming Luhya political kingpin

By Collins Matubwi

Nairobi

Many years down the line, the Luhyia community has had an exasperating history of political dissonance ignited by egocentrism, pride and triviality of many influential politicians.

As many still argue on whether the culture is diminishing or still active at a time when reckonable political parties tend to be fading in the region, the community shouldn’t be Insouciant of its political position in the country in the eyes of divergent affiliations by renown politicians in the region which is par for the course in any political discord.

Since his investiture as the Luhyia kingpin by the lionized COTU secretary General Francis Atwoli, Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi has stood out as a predominant of all Luhyia politicians.

Nevertheless, the Amani National Congress Party leader is faced with the challenge of building a cohesive voting bloc in western region where he is esteemed as the chief political prolocutor.

Though reserved, gentle and accommodative, Mudavadi is yet to allure into his political party reckoned politicians from the region who are dancing unsentimentally to the rhythm of the political tune of other political parties.

Despite the fact that ANC party has a sweeping traction in the region, the party risks losing a political future in 2022 if it doesn’t lay bare credence of the difference between the ideal and real aspects of the art of influence in politics contrived by the fact that majority of the influential politicians in the region are allies of other parties and the political decisions of the majority of the voters are shaped by their local icons.

Moses Wetangula

The purported political union between Mudavadi and Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula which appeared as the epitome of Luhyia unity will still be treated as a mere idea until one of the 2 party leaders abdicates his presidential ambition and uniformly fronts one of them for presidency.

Wetangula’s party is a notch higher as per 2022 elections in western Kenya with a sweeping command of at least 2 counties of Trans Nzoia and Bungoma with 2 governors and a couple of elected legislators both at the national assembly, the county assemblies and the senate, a reason many analysts claim he is slow on declaring full support for ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi.

Mudavadi’ s party has no governor in the region, 2 senators, several members of the national assembly with only Vihiga county baring a majority of members in the county assembly.

 Wetangula is an audaciously valorous speaker who is an incredible prowess of the muggy Kenyan politics and who can prudently garrison a political region. However, if Wentangula chooses to support Mudavadi, the ANC party leader will be assured of a populous following in the region, something their retinues should grasp.

Francis Atwoli,

COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli is incontrovertibly the secret controller of Luhyia politics.

Although not commonly on ground and less attractive to the voter, Atwoli has a big control over the politicians in the region both aspiring and elected.

Apart from the UDA politicians, the cash rich trade unionist has a financial control over majority of politicians in ODM, ANC and partly Ford Kenya and may patently influence their political decisions in 2022.

Atwoli may coequally betide as the unrevealed force behind the formation of the next county government of Kakamega.

Atwoli has been spotted in many occasions unleashing statements that unbridled his early bonding with Mudavadi; a product of his own enthronement.

n his assertions that president Uhuru is too young to retire and his close tie-in with ODM’s Raila Odinga elucidates that he has conceived in them more potential politicians compared to Mudavadi.

However, Atwoli still holds that Mudavadi is the Luhyia kingpin but he should come out to political reality of alignments to tussle out the deputy president.

ODM party,

ODM has been the most followed political party in western Kenya since 2007 general elections.

The party which is a product of the 2004 constitutional referendum was formed by a pentagon group constituting of Musalia Mudavadi, Raila Odinga, William Ruto, Joseph Nyaga and Najib Balala.

It rebranded Musalia as the face of Luhyia politics from the KANU scars which had compromised his popularity in the region.

 Mudavadi who was Railas running mate in 2007 general elections set a broad substratum for ODM in the region that was even difficult for him to break in the 2012 general elections concocted by the fact that most of the politicians in the region stuck in the party.

However, ODM is fading in the region given majority of the residents feel used and betrayed by ODM party leader who is again tirelessly running for the 5^th time.

However, the party which is structured under Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and which enjoys majority in Kakamega and Busia county assemblies is contingent to the support of governor Wycliffe oparanya of Kakamega, Wilber otichilo of Vihiga, Sospeter Ojamong’ of Busia, CS Eugine Wamalwa and some elected legislatures in the region allied to the handshake.

Francis Atwoli is the greatest hope that the party seems to hold dear. Mudavadi has a humble obligation of reaching out to these ODM leaders and reconnecting his association with Atwoli if he really intends to fully command the region.

The gubernatorial nightmare

ANC’s biggest vanquishing is in the formation of county governments. The party has never produced a governor in the region since its formation and its probable that the same may occur if the party leader will not be-witted.

 The party leader should be shrewd enough to identify the most influential and probable winners and reach out to them for a political understanding. Mudavadi is held in a quandary on how to balance his roles both as a party leader and as a Luhyia kingpin.

 As a party leader he is obligated to embracing and motivating those aspiring in his party whilst as a kingpin he is conditioned to hunt for all influential Luhyia politicians and harvest them into a common understanding which may include them aspiring for positions on his party.

While vihiga remains a battle for former governor Moses Akaranga who has his own party, ODM’s Wilber Otichilo, senator Khaniri and Alfred Agoi, Mudavadi should strive to embrace most if not all of them and possibly harmonize them to different positions or else ANC still risks losing to either Akaranga or Otichilo.

Kakamega is not a going concern anymore. Not unless vigilance is observed in this early the party risks losing to ODM or UDA. All these candidates need Mudavadi’ s attention.

Mudavadi is the positive face of the unscrupulous Kenyan politics. One of his own kind, rare to find. He is a solution to the taunting economy of the nation but may seldom if ever win without smart strategies especially in a country where tribalism has taken control of the voting trend.

Ends